Ischemic cardiovascular disease in workers occupationally exposed to urban air pollution – A systematic review

Introduction Cardiovascular disease is the first cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Among several known risk factors, researchers also focus their attention on the chronic exposure to air pollution. There is much evidence that exposure to air pollution, especially to ultrafine particles, can damage the endothelium and can favour cardiovascular diseases in the general population. Occupational exposition could be an additive risk factor for the cardiovascular system. This article presents a scientific review of the linkage between occupational exposure to air pollution and ischemic heart disease. Material and methods A scientific review was undertaken, followed by PRISMA Statements. …

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…

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, …

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 …

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…

Outbreak of Novel Coronavirus (SARS-Cov-2): First Evidences From International Scientific Literature and Pending Questions

On 31 December, 2019, a cluster of 27 pneumonia cases of unknown etiology was reported by Chinese health authorities in Wuhan City (China) [...]

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…

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.

Estimating the burden of hospitalization for pneumococcal pneumonia in a general population aged 50 years or older and implications for vaccination strategies

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major cause of human infectious diseases worldwide. Despite this documented evidence, data on pneumococcal disease rates among general populations are scant because of the frequent lack of cultural identification. In this study we propose a model for estimating the burden of pneumococcal pneumonia on hospitalizations. The study was performed by analyzing administrative and clinical data of patients aged 50 years or older, resident in Sicily, and hospitalized, from 2005 to 2012. Demographic information, admission/discharge dates, discharge status, and up to 6 discharge diagnoses coded according to ICD-9 CM were collected for each hospitalized patient. During the…

[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

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 (…

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

Surveillance Data for Eight Consecutive Influenza Seasons in Sicily, Italy

Influenza A and B outbreaks occur each year with different activity and molecular patterns. To date, knowledge of seasonal epidemiology remains a prerequisite not only to put in place the most effective immunization strategy against influenza but also to identify population groups at higher risk of developing serious complications. A retrospective analysis of influenza surveillance data from 2010 to 2018 aimed to explore the epidemiology of influenza in Sicily, at the primary care and hospital level. Overall, 6,740 patients with acute respiratory infection were tested, of which 3,032 (45.0%) were positive for influenza. The relative proportion of type A and B viruses markedly varied across …

Prevalence of Pneumococcal Serotypes in Community-Acquired Pneumonia among Older Adults in Italy: A Multicenter Cohort Study

Pneumococcal community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a leading cause of mortality. Following the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) in children, a decrease in the burden of the disease was reported. In parallel, an increase in non-vaccine serotypes was also noted. The objective of this study was to assess the current serotype-specific epidemiology of pneumococci among Italian older adults hospitalized for CAP. A prospective study was conducted between 2017 and 2020 in four Italian regions. Subjects aged ≥65 years hospitalized with confirmed CAP were tested for pneumococci using both pneumococcal urinary antigen and serotype-specific urine antigen tests able to identify all…

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…

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)

Urban air pollution and emergency room admissions for respiratory symptoms: a case-crossover study in Palermo, Italy

Abstract Background Air pollution from vehicular traffic has been associated with respiratory diseases. In Palermo, the largest metropolitan area in Sicily, urban air pollution is mainly addressed to traffic-related pollution because of lack of industrial settlements, and the presence of a temperate climate that contribute to the limited use of domestic heating plants. This study aimed to investigate the association between traffic-related air pollution and emergency room admissions for acute respiratory symptoms. Methods From January 2004 through December 2007, air pollutant concentrations and emergency room visits were collected for a case-crossover study conducted in Palermo, Sicily. Ris…

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…

Liver disease severity and low bone mineral density in HIV mono-infected and HIV/HCV co-infected patients

Background: In this study we assess: prevalence of osteopenia, osteoporosis and reduced bone mineral density in HIV infection and HIV / HCV co-infection;risk factors associated with reduced bone mineral density(BMD); relationship between bone mineral density and reduced liver fibrosis (FE) measured as "liver stiffness" (LS), by FibroScan ® in patients co-infected with HIV / HCV; relationship between reduced bone mineral density and cardiovascular risk assessed with the 10-year Framingham risk score (FRS) in HIV / HCV co-infected Patients And Methods: One hundred and ninety-four HIV-infected subjects (121 males =62% and 73 females = 38 %): 129 HIV-infected ( 66.5 % ) and 65 HIV / HCV co-infe…

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…

Associated Factors and Liver Disease Severity for Decreased Bone Mineral Density in HIV Mono- and HIV/HCV Co-infected Patients

Objective: We assessed the prevalence and risk factors of decreased bone mineral density (BMD) in patients mono-infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or co-infected with hepatitis C virus (HIV/HCV). We also evaluated whether bone loss was linked to lipid asset in both groups and to severity of liver fibrosis in the co-infected group. Methods: We consecutively enrolled 194 HIV-patients (129 mono-infected and 65 co-infected). All HIV-patients underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), while co-infected patients underwent transient elastography. Advanced liver fibrosis was defined as a median liver stiffness ≥ 9.5 kPa. Fibrosis was also assessed in all the HIV-patients using …

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…

Wastewater-based epidemiology for early warning of SARS-COV-2 circulation: A pilot study conducted in Sicily, Italy

There is increasing evidence of the use of wastewater-based epidemiology to integrate conventional monitoring assessing disease symptoms and signs of viruses in a specific territory. We present the results of SARS-CoV-2 environmental surveillance activity in wastewater samples collected between September 2020 and July 2021 in 9 wastewater treatment plants (WTPs) located in central and western Sicily, serving over 570,000 residents. The presence of SARS-CoV-2, determined in 206 wastewater samples using RT-qPCR assays, was correlated with the notified and geo-referenced cases on the areas served by the WTPs in the same study period. Overall, 51% of wastewater samples were positive. Samples we…

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

La metodica wastewater based epidemiology come proxy di quantificazione del consumo di sostanze stupefacenti nella popolazione: l’esperienza della città di Palermo.

INTRODUZIONE Le istituzioni europee e la comunità scientifica hanno, recentemente, definito un nuovo modello di sorveglianza attiva della potenziale diffusione delle droghe nella collettività, la Wastewater Based Epidemiology (WBE), attraverso la ricerca analitica delle molecole e dei loro metaboliti nelle acque reflue cittadine. Lo scopo di questo lavoro è stato la valutazione di una preliminare applicazione di METODIca WBE nella città di Palermo, poco studiata in precedenti analisi a livello nazionale e internazionale. METODI Sono stati prelevati 28 campioni (2 litri cad) di refluo medio delle 24 ore in ingresso ai due depuratori di Palermo (WP1=45.000 ab. eq.; WP2=330.000 ab. eq.) in un …

Genetic Diversity of HIV-1 Non-B Strains in Sicily: Evidence of Intersubtype Recombinants by Sequence Analysis ofgag,pol, andenvGenes

The molecular epidemiology of HIV-1 strains in Sicily (Italy) was phylogenetically investigated by the analysis of HIV-1 gag, pol, and env gene sequences from 11 HIV-1 non-B strains from 408 HIV-1-seropositive patients observed from September 2001 to August 2006. Sequences suggestive of recombination were further investigated by bootscanning analysis of various fragments. Overall, we identified several second-generation recombinant (SGRs) strains, which contained genetic material of CRF02_AG in at least one gene. Notably, three individuals were found to be infected with subsubtype A3, and one of them showed genetic recombination with subsubtype A4. The current study emphasizes the genetic a…

Varicella vaccination as useful strategy for reducing the risk of varicella-related hospitalizations in both vaccinated and unvaccinated cohorts (Italy, 2003-2018).

The present study summarizes evidences of the impact that varicella vaccination (VV) introduction and coverage can have on varicella attributable hospitalization rates.A retrospective observational study was carried out by considering hospital discharge records and VV coverage at 24 months collected from 2003 to 2018 by the Italian Ministry of Health. All hospitalizations records reporting an ICD-9 CM 052.X code as the principal diagnosis or any of the five secondary diagnoses were considered as related to varicella. The hospitalization rate reduction was evaluated by calculating average annual percent change (AAPC) through joint-point analysis.Hospitalization rates showed a decreasing tren…

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…

Serological pattern of Hepatitis B, C, and HIV infections among immigrants in Sicily: epidemiological aspects and implication on public health.

The objective of this study was to describe the prevalence of Hepatitis B virus (HBV), Hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections in a cohort of immigrants living in Palermo, Sicily. The study was carried out in the period May 2006-June 2010 and recruited a total of 393 patients (59.8% males-median age of 32.6 years). All patients were tested for serological markers of HBV, HCV, and HIV infection. One-hundred thirty-eight (35.1%) individuals did not show any HBV/HCV/HIV serological marker, while 186 (47.3%) were indicative of past or current HBV infection. A total of 42 (10.7%) subjects were HBsAg positive, 59 (15.0%) showed the serological profile "anti-HBc …

Occurrence of a case of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 and B co-infection during the epidemic season 2012–2013

Abstract We report the detection of one case of co-infection with influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 and B, occurred during the 2012–2013 influenza season in Sicily. The dual infection was identified in a 18-year-old boy, who was not covered by specific vaccination and who had no other pre-existing risk factors. He presented classical symptoms of influenza-like illness developing no respiratory complications. A(H1N1)pdm09 viral concentration was initially about 10-fold higher than B virus, whereas its clearance was more rapidly achieved than in the case of B virus infection. Although influenza co-infection appears to be a rare event, a continued influenza surveillance activity is recommended, in order …

Universal rotavirus vaccination program in Sicily: Reduction in health burden and cost despite low vaccination coverage

ABSTRACT Rotavirus is considered the main cause of severe gastroenteritis and nosocomial infections in Pediatric units, especially during late winter and early spring season in temperate region. In 2013 Sicilian Region, for the first time in Italy, introduced universal Rotavirus vaccination. This study aims to estimate health and economic impact on rotavirus Gastroenteritis (RVGE) among children aged 0–59 months in Sicily, after rotavirus vaccine introduction. We analyzed hospital discharge records including a diagnosis of RVGE occurred from 1st January 2009 to 31st December 2016 among hospitalized children aged 0 to 59 months, residents in Sicily. RVGEs were defined as all hospitalizations…

Measles in Italy: Viral strains and crossing borders

In 2017, Italy experienced one of the largest outbreaks of measles in recent years, with 5404 notified cases and 4347 confirmed cases. A further 2029 cases were notified during the first 6 months of 2018, and 1516 of them were laboratory-confirmed. The B3 and D8 genotypes were identified as those responsible for the outbreak. Possible transmission routes can be established by monitoring the circulating measles virus strains in support of the national health authorities to warn people and travellers. Keywords: Outbreak, Measles, Genotype identification, Surveillance

The Dual/Global Value of SARS-CoV-2 Genome Surveillance on Migrants Arriving to Europe via the Mediterranean Routes.

Despite the pandemic, 34,154 migrants, refugees or asylum-seekers landed in Sicily (Italy) in 2020, representing the main point of entry by sea into Europe. The SARS-CoV-2 surveillance program among migrants arriving to Sicily via the Mediterranean Sea, made by the combination of clinical examination and molecular testing, has been integrated by full-genome sequencing strains using the NGS technology from the last week of February. To date, more than one hundred full-genome strains have been sequenced and 8 different lineages have been identified mostly belonging to the lineages B.1.1.7 and B.1.525. As global access to COVID-19 vaccines should be ensured, the need to provide more detailed i…

Fatal measles as AIDS presentation in Italy

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

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…

Occult Hepatitis B Infection in the Immigrant Population of Sicily, Italy.

In Italy, about 7 % of the resident population is represented by immigrants originating from geographic regions at high endemicity for hepatitis B virus infection. This study aims to assess the prevalence of occult HBV infection (OBI) including the identification of HBV-genotypes in a population of immigrants serologically negative for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Between May 2006 and May 2010, 339 immigrants were tested for markers of HBV, hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections. HBV-DNA was tested by using nested-PCR assays on three different genetic region. HBV-DNA was detected in plasma samples of 11/339 (3.2 %) patients. Most of them had no ser…

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…

SARS-CoV-2 Viral Load, IFNλ Polymorphisms and the Course of COVID-19: An Observational Study

The course of SARS-CoV-2 infection ranges from asymptomatic to a multiorgan disease. In this observational study, we investigated SARS-CoV-2 infected subjects with defined outcomes, evaluating the relationship between viral load and single nucleotide polymorphisms of genes codifying for IFN&lambda

Can the serological status of anti-HBc alone be considered a sentinel marker for detection of occult HBV infection?

Some individuals have “occult” infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV), defined as presence of HBV genome in the serum or liver tissue without HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) in the serum. The aim of this study was to investigate whether serum antibodies against HBV core antigen in isolation (“anti-HBc alone”) are a useful marker of “occult” HBV in patients with or without hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. “Anti-HBc alone” was detected in the sera of 119/6,544 (1.8%) asymptomatic outpatients referred to the diagnostic laboratory for routine testing for viral hepatitis, 62/607 (10.2%) drug users, and 42/195 (21.5%) patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Using three in-house nested-PCR amplifica…

Pneumococcal Colonization in the Familial Context and Implications for Anti-Pneumococcal Immunization in Adults: Results from the BINOCOLO Project in Sicily

The spread of Streptococcus pneumoniae within families has been scarcely investigated so far. This feasibility study aimed to estimate the prevalence of pneumococcal carriage in school-aged children and co-habiting relatives and to explore the potential link between the family environment and the sharing of pneumococcal serotypes covered by the vaccine. Oropharyngeal samples of 146 subjects belonging to 36 different family groups were molecularly tested for pneumococcal detection and serotyping. The overall prevalence of pneumococcal carriage was 65.8% (n = 96/146), whereas it was higher among schoolchildren (77.8%, n = 28/36); subjects of seven years of age had the highest odds of being co…

Cardiovascular effects of occupational exposure to urban airborne pollution on a group of newsagents in the city of Palermo

Aims: To verify the possible correlation between exposure to airborne particulate matter the average size less than 10 μm (PM 10) of a group of newsagents working in kiosks in Palermo and evidence of carotid intimal thickening. Materials and methods: data were collected relating to environmental monitoring of airborne pollutants. We have selected a sample of newsagents, who were submitted to some clinical investigations, including the carotid echo-color doppler examination. Results: The results show no correlation between the location of the kiosks, and the presence of intimal thickening. Conclusion: Exposition to urban pollutants in Palermo is likely homogenous in the different areas and c…

Influenza vaccination of healthcare workers in Italy: could mandatory vaccination be a solution to protect patients?

Several studies have reported that influenza infections in healthcare workers (HCWs) can lead to nosocomial outbreaks. HCWs can potentially be infected with influenza every year, and may continue to work, encouraging the spread of the virus. Different strategies, such as informative interventions on influenza and influenza vaccination, ‘onsite’ vaccination weeks, communicative strategies through dedicated web and social media pages, and mandatory informed dissent form, were organized for HCWs working at the University Hospital of Palermo, during previous influenza seasons. However, the increased vaccination rates observed among HCWs still remain far from the 75% recommended by Public Healt…

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

Design, realization, and testing of a SPR biosensing system for wine quality monitoring

A complete innovative and portable, for on-field operation, Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) biosensing system for wine quality monitoring was designed, realized and tested; the system takes advantage of the innovative module Spreeta™, an integrated transducer designed by Texas Instruments able to recognize the Surface Resonance Phenomena and to represent it through electrical signals. The system, based on an 8 bit microprocessor board, acquires through a 12 bit A/D converter, elaborates and sends to a PC data from the Spreeta™ sensor. A proprietary high-level software calculates the refractive index related to biological solution flowing on the surface sensor and lets to detect suitable sub…

Diagnosis of Influenza: Only a Problem of Coding?

&lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Objective:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; To evaluate the characteristics of hospital discharge diagnoses of influenza measured by using specific International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9 CM) codes. &lt;b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Subjects and Methods:&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt; The study was conducted for the 3 years 2007, 2008 and 2011. The database included (1) administrative and clinical data on Sicilian patients admitted to acute care hospitals and (2) data from the influenza virological surveillance of 10 European countries (FluNet database). All Sicilian patients diagnosed with at least 1 ICD-9 CM code for influenza (487.0, 487.1 and 487.9) were considere…

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…

First detection of SARS-CoV-2 A.23.1 sub-lineage in migrants arriving to Italy via the Mediterranean Sea and public health implications

Prevalence of Occult Hepatitis B Virus Infection in a Cohort of HIV-Positive Patients Resident in Sicily, Italy

Occult hepatitis B virus (OBI) in HIV-infected groups is still debated, as well as the associated risk-factors and clinical significance. In this paper, we examined a total of 405 HBsAg-negative/HIV-infected patients enrolled from January 2007 to December 2009. Overall, the prevalence of OBI was 5.9% (95% confidence interval (CI95%): 3.8–8.7%); it was more frequently associated with “anti-HBc alone” serological marker (11.3%; adjusted odds ratio = 3.7, CI95%: 1.4–9.8), although it was also detected in the absence of any HBV serological marker (4.9%; CI95%: 2.3–9.1%). A low prevalence of anti-HCV-positive patients with OBI was found (3.1%; CI95%: 0.6–8.7%). HIV RNA plasma levels or other imm…

Coverage rates against vaccine-preventable diseases among healthcare workers in Sicily (Italy)

Abstract Background Vaccination of healthcare workers (HCWs) reduces the risk of occupational vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs), prevents their nosocomial transmission and preserves healthcare delivery during outbreaks. Extensive implementation of vaccination programmes for HCWs allowed the elimination or control of several VPDs within healthcare facilities; despite these, the vaccine adherence rates among HCWs are persistently suboptimal. Methods A questionnaire was self-administered by HCWs to assess their vaccination rates against several VPDs and self-reported immunity in two university hospitals of Southern Italy (Catania and Palermo). Results A total of 2586 questionnaires were anal…

Variable phenotypic expression of chylomicron retention disease in a kindred carrying a mutation of the Sara2 gene

Chylomicron retention disease is a recessive inherited disorder characterized by fat malabsorption and steatorrhea and is associated with failure to thrive in infancy. We describe a kindred carrying a mutation of Sara2 gene causing a chylomicron retention phenotype. The proband was a 5-month-old baby, born of consanguineous, apparently healthy parents from Morocco, with failure to thrive. There was a large quantity of fats in feces and malabsorption of fat-soluble vitamins. Intestinal biopsies showed a diffused enterocyte vacuolization with large cytosolic lipid droplets. Chylomicron retention disease or Anderson disease was hypothesized, and the Sara2 gene was analyzed by direct sequencing…

Illicit drugs consumption evaluation by wastewater-based epidemiology in the urban area of Palermo city (Italy)

Introduction. A wastewater-based epidemiology approach was performed to estimate the drug consumption in Palermo city, the fifth largest city of Italy with a population of 671 696 inhabitants, and to investigate the monthly variability of drug loads in wastewater from different areas of the city. A seven-months detection campaign was conducted at the two wastewater treatment plants of the city. Methods. Following a pre-treatment, 32 samples of wastewater were analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Results. We estimated a mean cocaine use in Palermo of 0.19 g/day/1000 people, corresponding to 1.90 doses/1000 people and cannabinoids use of 2.85 g/day/1000 people, correspo…

Trends of influenza B during the 2010–2016 seasons in 2 regions of north and south Italy: The impact of the vaccine mismatch on influenza immunisation strategy

Influenza A and B viruses are responsible for respiratory infections, representing globally seasonal threats to human health. The 2 viral types often co-circulate and influenza B plays an important role in the spread of infection. A 6-year retrospective surveillance study was conducted between 2010 and 2016 in 2 large administrative regions of Italy, located in the north (Liguria) and in the south (Sicily) of the country, to describe the burden and epidemiology of both B/Victoria and B/Yamagata lineages in different healthcare settings. Influenza B viruses were detected in 5 of 6 seasonal outbreaks, exceeding influenza A during the season 2012–2013. Most of influenza B infections were found…

Case-control study on intestinal intussusception: implications for anti-rotavirus vaccination.

Background: Intussusception represents the most common cause of abdominal emergency among young children but nearly 75% of cases are still considered idiopathic. Research design and methods: A case–control study was conducted among Sicilian children aged 0–59 months with a hospital admission for intussusception between 2009 and 2015 to identify factors associated with intussusception onset. Results: Overall, 125 cases and 190 controls were recruited for the study. Birth order (OR 1.49, 95%CI: 1.10, 2.02, P = 0.02) and having had gastroenteritis or having taken antibiotics during the 30 days prior to hospitalization (OR 11.55, 95%CI: 3.23, 41.23, P < 0.001; 3.09, 95%CI: 1.17, 8.12, P = 0.009…

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…

Distribution of liver disease in a cohort of immigrants in Sicily: analysis of day-hospital admissions in a migration medicine unit.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the frequency of liver disease and its aetiology in a cohort of immigrants. We retrospectively examined the hospital discharge charts of all the immigrant patients presenting at our day hospital from July 2009 to June 2013, and after evaluating the anamnestic, clinical and laboratory data on these charts we identified subjects with liver disease and its various aetiologies. The total sample population consisted of 1218 patients, of whom 112 (9.2%) had a diagnosis of liver disease. More than two-thirds of the latter (67.8%) came from Africa, while 15.2% were from Asia and 17.0% from Eastern Europe. In most patients the disease was related to HBV (4…

Analysis of appeals against the ruling of occupational physicians lodged with the Prevention and Occupational Epidemiology Operative Unit, ASP Palermo (Palermo Health Authority), from 2008-2010

Introduction: The responsibility of the Department for Prevention and Safety at the workplace of the Palermo Health Authority (ASP) is to monitor and coordinate the activity of occupational physicians operating in Palermo and its province. One of its obligations is to examine appeals “against the judgment of occupational physicians”, “...and, after carrying out further investigation, confirm, modify or reverse the ruling itself ” (art. 41, par. 6, legislative Decree 81/08). Objectives: The purpose of this study was to analyze the appeals lodged against a “judgment of fitness for work” submitted to the “Health Prevention and Occupational Epidemiology Operative Unit” of the Department of Prev…

Burden and viral aetiology of influenza-like illness and acute respiratory infection in intensive care units

The purpose of this investigation was to study the viral aetiology of influenza-like illness (ILI) and acute respiratory tract infection (ARTI) among patients requiring intensive care unit admission. A cross-sectional retrospective study was carried out in Sicily over a 4-year period. A total of 233 respiratory samples of patients with ILI/ARTI admitted to intensive care units were molecularly analyzed for the detection of a comprehensive panel of aetiologic agents of viral respiratory infections. About 45% of patients was positive for at least one pathogen. Single aetiology occurred in 75.2% of infected patients, while polymicrobial infection was found in 24.8% of positive subjects. Influe…

Surveillance of hospitalised patients with influenza-like illness during pandemic influenza A(H1N1) season in Sicily, April 2009 - December 2010

This paper describes the epidemiology of hospitalised cases with influenza-like illness (ILI) and laboratory- confirmed influenza A cases in Sicily (Italy) during the 2009 influenza pandemic. The first ILI case diagnosed as infected with pandemic influenza A(H1N1)2009 in Sicily was reported in June 2009 and it rapidly became the dominant circulating strain. In the period from 30 April 2009 through 31 December 2010, a total of 2,636 people in Sicily were hospitalised for ILI and 1,193 were laboratory-confirmed for influenza A. Basic demo- graphic and clinical information for all hospitalised patients was collected and population mortality rates (PMRs) and case fatality ratios (CFRs) were cal…

Respiratory Syncytial Virus: New Challenges for Molecular Epidemiology Surveillance and Vaccination Strategy in Patients with ILI/SARI.

Several respiratory pathogens are responsible for influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe respiratory infections (SARI), among which human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) represents one of the most common aetiologies. We analysed the hRSV prevalence among subjects with ILI or SARI during the five influenza seasons before the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Sicily (Italy). Respiratory specimens from ILI outpatients and SARI inpatients were collected in the framework of the Italian Network for the Influenza Surveillance and molecularly tested for hRSV-A and hRSV-B. Overall, 8.1% of patients resulted positive for hRSV. Prevalence peaked in the age-groups &lt

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…

Dairy calcium intake and lifestyle risk factors for bone loss in hiv-infected and uninfected mediterranean subjects

Abstract Background Despite the reported high prevalence of osteoporosis in the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-population, there have been no previous studies examining dairy calcium intake and bone mineral density (BMD) in HIV-subjects. We assessed the prevalence of low BMD in HIV-infected and uninfected subjects and analyzed the effects of calcium intake, lifestyle and HIV-related risk factors on BMD. Methods One hundred and twelve HIV-infected subjects were consecutively enrolled. Seventy- six HIV-uninfected subjects matched for age and sex were enrolled as the control group. The HIV-subjects were interviewed about lifestyle habits and completed a weekly food-frequency questionnaire …

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…

Case-based surveillance of measles in Sicily during 2012-2017: The changing molecular epidemiology and implications for vaccine strategies.

Following the indication of the World Health Organization, a national plan for the elimination of measles was approved in Italy and this included the improvement of the molecular surveil- lance of measles viruses and the interruption of indigenous transmission of the disease. Nevertheless, large outbreaks continue to occur in almost all regions of the country, includ- ing Sicily. Here we describe the epidemiology and molecular dynamics of measles viruses as a result of the measles surveillance activity carried out by the “Reference Laboratory for Measles and Rubella” in Sicily over a 5-year period. Biological samples of 259 suspected measles cases were tested for viral RNA detection and a t…

An Ecological Study to Investigate Links Between Atmospheric Pollutants From Farming and SARS-CoV-2 Mortality

AbstractExposure to atmospheric particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide has been linked to SARS-CoV-2 infection and death. We hypothesized that an interaction between SARS-CoV-2 infection and exposure to farming-related atmospheric pollutants worsens the effect of SARS-CoV-2 on mortality. Our objective was investigate this hypothesis by performing an ecological study in five Italian Regions (Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna and Sicily) linking all-cause mortality, by province (administrative entities within regions), to atmospheric particulate matter (PM2.5and PM10) nitrous oxide (N2O), ammonia (NH3) and methane (CH4) mainly produced by agricultural activities. Study outcome was c…

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.”

The molecular epidemiology and evolutionary dynamics of influenza B virus in two Italian regions during 2010-2015: The experience of Sicily and Liguria

Molecular epidemiology of influenza B virus remained poorly studied in Italy, despite representing a major contributor to seasonal epidemics. This study aimed to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships and genetic diversity of the hemagglutinin gene sequences of 197 influenza B strains circulating in both Southern (Sicily) and Northern (Liguria) Italy between 2010 and 2015. Upper respiratory tract specimens of patients displaying symptoms of influenza-like illness were screened by real-time RT-PCR assay for the presence of influenza B virus. PCR-positive influenza B samples were further analyzed by sequencing. Neighbor-joining phylogenetic trees were constructed and the amino-acid alignm…

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…

Sorveglianza della nuova influenza H1N1 in Sicilia

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.…

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 …

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

A mid-term estimate of 2018/2019 vaccine effectiveness to prevent laboratory confirmed A(H1N1)pdm09 and A(H3N2) influenza cases in Sicily (Italy)

Abstract Influenza season started in Italy during the month of October 2018, approaching the epidemic peak in January 2019. This report aim to explore the mid-term virologic surveillance data of the 2018–2019 influenza season in Sicily and to estimate the effectiveness of seasonal influenza vaccine (VE) against A(H1N1)pdm09 and A(H3N2) influenza viruses. A test-negative design was used to evaluate influenza VE. In Sicily, almost all influenza infections were sustained by influenza type A viruses, of which 62.3% were A(H3N2) and 36.3% A(H1N1)pdm09. A reduction of laboratory confirmed influenza cases in Sicilian population immunized against influenza were observed. In particular, an overall s…

The impact of ten years of infant universal Varicella vaccination in Sicily, Italy (2003-2012).

Introduction Universal varicella vaccination in Sicily was introduced in infant population since 2003, with a rapidly increasing coverage. Aim of the present study was to analyze changes in the epidemiology of varicella since the introduction of universal vaccination. Methods The study was performed by analyzing Sicilian administrative/clinical data on varicella case notifications and hospitalizations from 2003 to 2012 (ICD-9-CM discharge diagnosis codes 052 and 052.×). MMR+V and V coverage were also calculated for each birth cohort. Moreover, blood samples drawn in 2013/2014 from general population stratified by age were tested for varicella antibodies. Results From 2003 to 2012, 15 433 va…

PNPLA3 and TLL-1 Polymorphisms as Potential Predictors of Disease Severity in Patients With COVID-19

Albeit the pathogenesis of COVID-19 remains unclear, host’s genetic polymorphisms in genes involved in infection and reinfection, inflammation, or immune stimulation could play a role in determining the course and outcome. We studied in the early phase of pandemic consecutive patients (N = 383) with SARS-CoV-2 infection, whose subsequent clinical course was classified as mild or severe, the latter being characterized by admission to intensive therapy unit or death. Five host gene polymorphisms (MERTK rs4374383, PNPLA3 rs738409, TLL-1 rs17047200, IFNL3 rs1297860, and INFL4 rs368234815) were assessed by using whole nucleic acids extracted from nasopharyngeal swabs. Specific protease cleavage …

Wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 variants in October-November 2022 in Italy: detection of XBB.1, BA.2.75 and rapid spread of the BQ.1 lineage

This study adds insight regarding the occurrence and spread of SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern (VOCs) and Var-iants of Interest (VOIs) in Italy in October and November 2022, by testing urban wastewater collected through-out the country. A total of 332 wastewater samples were collected from 20 Italian Regions/Autonomous Provinces (APs) within the framework of national SARS-CoV-2 environmental surveillance. Of these, 164 were collected in the first week of October and 168 in the first week of November. A similar to 1600 bp fragment of the spike protein was sequenced by Sanger (for individual samples) and long-read nanopore sequencing (for pooled Region/AP samples).In October, mutations charact…

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…

Sero-Epidemiological Study of Varicella in the Italian General Population.

The aim of this study was to analyze the seroprevalence of varicella in Italy and to evaluate the impact of varicella vaccination, which has been mandatory for newborns since 2017. The levels of VZV-specific IgG antibodies were determined by the ELISA method in residual serum samples obtained from subjects aged between 6 and 64 years and residing in 13 Italian regions. Overall, 3746 serum samples were collected in the years 2019 and 2020. The overall seroprevalence was 91.6% (89.9% in males and 93.3% in females; p = 0.0002). Seroprevalence showed an increasing trend (p &lt; 0.0001) starting in the younger age groups: 6&ndash;9 years: 84.1%; 10&ndash;14 years: 88.7%; 15&ndash;19 years: 89.3%…

Influenza vaccine effectiveness among high-risk groups: a systematic literature review and metaanalysis of case-control and cohort studies

Vaccination represents the most effective intervention to prevent infection, hospitalization and mortality due to influenza. This meta-analysis quantifies data reporting influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) on influenza visits and hospitalizations of case-control and cohort studies among high-risk groups. A systematic literature review including original articles published between 2007 and 2016, using a protocol registered on Prospero with No. 42017054854, and a meta-analysis were conducted. For three high-risk groups (subjects with underlying health conditions, pregnant women and health care workers) only a qualitative evaluation was carried out. The VE quantitative analysis demonstrated a…

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…

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…