Search results for " Malattie Infettive"
showing 10 items of 195 documents
Pre-ART HIV-1 DNA in CD4+ T cells correlates with baseline viro-immunological status and outcome in patients under first-line ART
2018
Objectives We evaluated the association between pre-ART HIV DNA and HIV-infected participant characteristics at baseline as well as with their response to first-line ART. Methods Four hundred and thirty-three patients from the ICONA cohort, starting first-line ART after the year 2000, were analysed. Pre-ART HIV DNA was quantified with the modified COBAS TaqMan HIV-1 Test and normalized by CD4+ T cells. Linear correlation between pre-ART HIV DNA and other continuous markers (HIV RNA, CD4 count, markers of inflammation and coagulation) at baseline was evaluated by means of Pearson correlation coefficient and a linear regression model. Survival analyses and Cox regression models were used to s…
Multilocus microsatellite analysis of European and African Candida glabrata isolates
2016
This study aimed to elucidate the genetic relatedness and epidemiology of 127 clinical and environmental Candida glabrata isolates from Europe and Africa using multilocus microsatellite analysis. Each isolate was first identified using phenotypic and molecular methods and subsequently, six unlinked microsatellite loci were analyzed using automated fluorescent genotyping. Genetic relationships were estimated using the minimum-spanning tree (MStree) method. Microsatellite analyses revealed the existence of 47 different genotypes. The fungal population showed an irregular distribution owing to the over-representation of genetically different infectious haplotypes. The most common genotype was …
Early warning climate indices for malaria and meningitis in tropical ecological zones
2020
AbstractThis study aims at assessing the impacts of climate indices on the spatiotemporal distribution of malaria and meningitis in Nigeria. The primary focus of the research is to develop an Early Warning System (EWS) for assessing climate variability implications on malaria and meningitis spread in the study area. Both climate and health data were used in the study to determine the relationship between climate variability and the occurrence of malaria and meningitis. The assessment was based on variations in different ecological zones in Nigeria. Two specific sample locations were randomly selected in each ecological zone for the analysis. The climatic data used in this study are dekadal …
Th17 skewing in the GALT of a Crohn disease patient upon Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG consumption.
2015
We wish to report on a recent observation we made and that might represent a useful hint for the employment of the so called probiotics in the management of some pathological immune reactions of the gut. By analyzing GALT-associated T cells upon consumption of L. rhamnosus-GG, we obtained some hints that probiotics might have locoregional immunological effects mainly when administered in patients with IBDs rather than in individuals with non-inflamed gut mucosa.
The still under-investigated role of cognitive deficits in PML diagnosis
2017
Background: Despite cognitive deficits frequently represent the first clinical manifestations of Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML) in Natalizumab-treated MS patients, the importance of cognitive deficits in PML diagnosis is still under-investigated. The aim of the current study is to investigate the cognitive deficits at PML diagnosis in a group of Italian patients with PML. Methods: Thirty-four PML patients were included in the study. The demographic and clinical data, the lesion load and localization, and the longitudinal clinical course was compared between patients with (n = 13) and without (n = 15) cognitive deficit upon PML suspicion (the remaining six patients were asy…
Virological response and retention in care according to time of starting ART in Italy: data from the Icona Foundation Study cohort
2020
Abstract Objectives To describe: (i) factors associated with rapid and delayed ART initiation; (ii) rates of 12 week virological response; and (iii) virologically controlled retention in care by 1 year from ART initiation according to timing of start in a real-life setting. Methods All individuals in the Icona cohort diagnosed with HIV in 2016–17 who initiated ART were grouped according to the time between HIV diagnosis and ART initiation: Group 1, ≤7 days; Group 2, 8–14 days; Group 3, 15–30 days; Group 4, 31–120 days; and Group 5, >120 days. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with: (i) the probability of rapid (Group 1) and very delayed…
Real life experiences in HCV management in 2018
2019
Introduction: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major cause of chronic liver disease, with approximately 71 million chronically infected individuals worldwide. Treatment of chronic hepatitis C has considerably improved in the last few years thanks to the introduction of direct-acting antivirals able to achieve sustained virological response in more than 95% of patients. Successful anti-HCV treatment can halt liver disease progression and solve the HCV-related extra-hepatic manifestations, eventually reducing liver-related and overall mortality. Areas covered: With the aim to respond to unmet needs in patient’s identification, universal access to antiviral therapy and treatment optimiza…
Behavioral and clinical characteristics of people receiving medical care for HIV infection in an outpatient facility in Sicily, Italy
2016
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…
The Burden of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Disease in Pre-Term Infants
2015
This mini-review summarises the risk factors for acquiring Respiratory Syncitial Virus (RSV) infection, and describes the harmful effects of the infection in pre-term infants. Moreover, theoretical considerations are discussed for the prevention of RSV infection in high-risk infant categories, such as pre-term infants. Background: Neonates positive for RSV are more prone to severe infection than neonates infected with other common respiratory viruses. Despite RSV infection being more common in late neonates than in early ones, pre-term infants ≤ 35 wk gestational age (GA) are at high risk for developing severe RSV disease. Efforts to prevent infection include case management, vaccination an…
Vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE) vertebral osteomyelitis after uneventful spinal surgery: A case report and literature review
2017
Abstract Objective Case report and literature review. Background Enterococcus faecium is an emerging pathogen responsible for post procedural infections in patients who have undergone spinal decompression surgery. In this case report, the authors discuss and review recent literature on approaches to post-operative spinal infection. Case report We herein report the case of a 55-year-old HIV-negative Caucasian Italian woman who showed vertebral osteomyelitis with abscesses around the interbody cage caused by an Enterococcus faecium vancomycin resistant gen-Van A, following a Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (TLIF). The same strain was detected in disc biopsy, urine culture and rectal sw…