0000000000476946
AUTHOR
F. Tramuto
Dinamiche della colonizzazione da pneumococco in Sicilia tra il 2009 ed il 2017: implicazioni nella vaccinazione anti-pneumococcica in soggetti di tutte le età
Introduzione Streptococcus pneumoniae è uno dei maggiori responsabili di meningiti, sepsi e polmoniti a livello globale. La colonizzazione asintomatica da pneumococco (carriage) rappresenta il reservoir di sierotipi batterici ed è considerata un pre-requisito per lo sviluppo della malattia. In questo lavoro viene descritto l’andamento del carriage da pneumococco e la distribuzione dei sierotipi circolanti in Sicilia, una delle regioni italiane a proporre nei nuovi nati, già dal 2004, la vaccinazione universale con il vaccino anti pneumococcico coniugato e dal 2013 anche nei soggetti a rischio di qualsiasi età e negli adulti over-65. Materiali e metodi Soggetti di tutte le età, giunti all’os…
Increase in transmitted resistance to non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors among newly diagnosed HIV-1 infections in Europe
Background: One out of ten newly diagnosed patients in Europe was infected with a virus carrying a drug resistant mutation. We analysed the patterns over time for transmitted drug resistance mutations (TDRM) using data from the European Spread program.Methods: Clinical, epidemiological and virological data from 4317 patients newly diagnosed with HIV-1 infection between 2002 and 2007 were analysed. Patients were enrolled using a pre-defined sampling strategy.Results: The overall prevalence of TDRM in this period was 8.9% (95% CI: 8.1-9.8). Interestingly, significant changes over time in TDRM caused by the different drug classes were found. Whereas nucleoside resistance mutations remained con…
L’epidemiologia del morbillo nell’era dell’eliminazione: l’esperienza della Sicilia tra il 2012 ed il 2019
Introduzione Il morbillo è una patologia ad elevata contagiosità di origine virale e, malgrado l’Introduzione della vaccinazione universale, è an-cora causa di elevata morbilità e mortalità. In linea con la strategia globale posta dall’OMS, è in vigore in Italia un “Piano Nazionale per l’Eliminazione del Morbillo e della Rosolia congenita (PNEMoRc)”. In questo lavoro viene descritta l’epidemiologia del morbillo in Sicilia e le sue dinamiche molecolari, in accordo alle attività di sorveglianza svolte dal Laboratorio di Riferimento Regionale. Materiali e metodi Nel periodo 2012-2019, campioni biologici di soggetti con diagnosi clinica di morbillo, su tutto il territorio regionale, sono stati …
Moderate influenza vaccine effectiveness against A(H1N1)pdm09 virus, and low effectiveness against A(H3N2) subtype, 2018/19 season in Italy
Background: Influenza vaccines are updated every year to match the vaccine strains with currently circulating viruses; consequently influenza vaccine effectiveness (IVE) has to be assessed annually.Research design and methods: A test-negative case-control study was conducted within the context of the Italian sentinel influenza surveillance network to estimate IVE by age group, virus subtype, and vaccine brand in medically attended laboratory-confirmed influenza.Results: In Italy, the 2018/19 influenza season was characterized by the co-circulation of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 and A(H3N2) viruses. The adjusted IVE estimate in preventing influenza was moderate (44.8%, 95% CI: 18.8 to 62.5) again…
Transmission of HIV Drug Resistance and the Predicted Effect on Current First-line Regimens in Europe
Transmitted human immunodeficiency virus drug resistance in Europe is stable at around 8%. The impact of baseline mutation patterns on susceptibility to antiretroviral drugs should be addressed using clinical guidelines. The impact on baseline susceptibility is largest for nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors.
Valutazioni igienico-sanitarie delle acque in tre invasi artificiali della provincia di Palermo destinate al consumo umano
We report the physico-chemical and bacteriological characteristics of three Sicilian reservoirs. The aim of this study was the evaluation of the reservoirs' sanitary conditions, given tha the water is also used for human consumption. 114 samples (4 locations at each lake) were collected in the period from July 1995 to June 1996. We analysed temperature, pH, oxygen saturation, colour and parameters of water mineralization and pollution of natural or human origin.Pathogenic bacteria (Salòmonellae) and opportunistic patjogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Aeromonas spp. were also investigated. At present, results are not showing particular levels of pollution, and it seems there is no ris…
Attitudes, behaviours and perceptions of Italian General Practitioner trainees towards influenza vaccination in Western Sicily (Italy)
Background: General practitioners (GPs) have to be considered as key figures of health promotion among health care workers since they are strongly asked to recommend influenza vaccination to their patients and perform on them. Despite this consideration, GPs have influenza vaccination rates that are significantly below the 75% coverage proposed by International Public Health guidelines. In order to increase future coverage of influenza vaccination within GPs, and through them within the population, the aim of this study was to assess determinants associated with influenza vaccine uptake among GP trainees. Methods: A survey was carried out on GP trainees attending the training course in Comm…
Treatment-associated polymorphisms in protease are significantly associated with higher viral load and lower CD4 count in newly diagnosed drug-naive HIV-1 infected patients
Background: The effect of drug resistance transmission on disease progression in the newly infected patient is not well understood. Major drug resistance mutations severely impair viral fitness in a drug free environment, and therefore expected to revert quickly. Compensatory mutations, often already polymorphic in wild-type viruses, do not tend to revert after transmission. While compensatory mutations increase fitness during treatment, their presence may also modulate viral fitness and virulence in absence of therapy and major resistance mutations. We previously designed a modeling technique that quantifies genotypic footprints of in vivo treatment selective pressure, including both drug …
Stato vaccinale e immunitario contro le malattie prevenibili da vaccino in un campione di operatori sanitari del Policlinico Universitario di Palermo
Introduzione La vaccinazione degli operatori sanitari (OS) riduce il rischio delle infezioni professionali, previene la trasmissione nosocomiale e garantisce la continuità delle cure sanitarie durante le epidemie di malattie vaccinoprevenibili. Nonostante le raccomandazioni del Piano Nazionale della Prevenzione Vaccinale 2017-2019, la copertura vaccinale degli OS in Italia risulta molto bassa. Scopo dello studio è valutare lo stato vaccinale e immunitario degli OS del Policlinico Universitario di Palermo. Materiali e metodi Un questionario anonimo è stato somministrato online tra Settembre e Dicembre 2018 agli OS del Policlinico Universitario di Palermo. Il questionario era suddiviso nelle …
Limited cross-border infections in patients newly diagnosed with HIV in Europe
Background: International travel plays a role in the spread of HIV-1 across Europe. It is, however, not known whether international travel is more important for spread of the epidemic as compared to endogenous infections within single countries. In this study, phylogenetic associations among HIV of newly diagnosed patients were determined across Europe.Results: Data came from the SPREAD programme which collects samples of newly diagnosed patients that are representative for national HIV epidemics. 4260 pol sequences from 25 European countries and Israel collected in 2002-2007 were included.We identified 457 clusters including 1330 persons (31.2% of all patients). The cluster size ranged bet…
Associations of classic Kaposi sarcoma with common variants in genes that modulate host immunity
AbstractClassic Kaposi sarcoma (CKS) is an inflammatory-mediated neoplasm primarily caused by Kaposi sarcoma–associated herpesvirus (KSHV). Kaposi sarcoma lesions are characterized, in part, by the presence of proinflammatory cytokines and growth factors thought to regulate KSHV replication and CKS pathogenesis. Using genomic DNA extracted from 133 CKS cases and 172 KSHV-latent nuclear antigen-positive, population-based controls in Italy without HIV infection, we examined the risk of CKS associated with 28 common genetic variants in 14 immune-modulating genes. Haplotypes were estimated for IL1A, IL1B, IL4, IL8, IL8RB, IL10, IL12A, IL13, and TNF. Compared with controls, CKS risk was decrease…
Co-circulation of SARS-CoV-2 Alpha and Gamma variants in Italy, February and March 2021
Background Several SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC) have emerged through 2020 and 2021. There is need for tools to estimate the relative transmissibility of emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 with respect to circulating strains. Aim We aimed to assess the prevalence of co-circulating VOC in Italy and estimate their relative transmissibility. Methods We conducted two genomic surveillance surveys on 18 February and 18 March 2021 across the whole Italian territory covering 3,243 clinical samples and developed a mathematical model that describes the dynamics of co-circulating strains. Results The Alpha variant was already dominant on 18 February in a majority of regions/autonomous provinces (…
Correlates of Human Herpesvirus-8 DNA detection among adults in Italy without Kaposi sarcoma.
Background: The presence of Human Herpesvirus-8 (HHV8) DNA is predictive of Kaposi sarcoma (KS) among patients with HIV-associated or iatrogenic immunosuppression. However, correlates of HHV8-DNA detection in the general population remain undefined. Methods: We assessed correlates of HHV8-DNA detection among Italian adults without KS who had antibodies against HHV8-latent nuclear antigen by immunofluorescence assay. HHV8-K6 DNA sequences were detected in peripheral blood mononuclear cells using TaqMan CR. Results: Of the 158 subjects 26 (16.5%) had detectable HHV8-DNA [median copies/million cells, 53; (13-2128)]. Adjusted for age, sex, and laboratory, HHV8-DNA was detected more frequently i…