Search results for "Italy"
showing 10 items of 2893 documents
Presence of Rickettsia conorii subsp. israelensis , the Causative Agent of Israeli Spotted Fever, in Sicily, Italy, Ascertained in a Retrospective St…
2005
ABSTRACT A retrospective analysis by molecular-sequence-based techniques was performed to correctly identify the etiological agent of 24 Mediterranean spotted fever cases occurring in Western Sicily, Italy, from 1987 to 2001. Restriction analysis of a 632-bp PCR-amplified portion of the ompA gene allowed presumptive identification of five clinical isolates as belonging to Rickettsia conorii subsp. israelensis , the etiological agent of Israeli spotted fever (ISF). The remaining 19 rickettsial isolates were Rickettsia conorii subsp. conorii , the only pathogenic rickettsia of the spotted fever group reported in Italy until the present. Sequence analysis of the ompA gene confirmed the identif…
The Acute Phase Response in Sicilian Patients with Boutonneuse Fever Admitted to Hospitals in Palermo, 1992–1997
2001
Abstract Objectives : To study the modifications of some components of the acute phase response (APR) in Sicilian patients with boutonneuse fever (BF) caused by Rickettsia conorii . Methods : Sera from 500 Sicilian patients with confirmed BF were studied at the time of diagnosis and every week after treatment, and after recovery for the presence of various inflammatory mediators. Tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα), interleukin(IL)-6, IL-1α, IL-8, soluble TNF receptors (sTNF-R) and sIL-6R were assayed by commercially ELISA kits. C3, C4, factor B, C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, ceruloplasmin (Cp) and α 1 -antitrypsin (AAT) were assayed by a rate nephelometry. Results : Interferon gamma (I…
Prevalence of surgical site infections before and after the implementation of a multimodal infection control programme
2012
Objectives: In order to assess the prevalence of surgical site infections (SSIs) before and after the implementation of a multimodal infection control programme including the realization of a campaign to increase compliance with guidelines for antimicrobial prophylaxis, we designed and conducted the present study involving all 20 of the surgical departments of a large teaching hospital in Catania, Italy. Patients and methods: SSI definitions of the Hospital in Europe Link for Infection Control through Surveillance (HELICS) protocol were used in four 1 day point-prevalence surveys. After the first survey, an infection control programme was implemented involving the active commitment of surge…
Risk Factors and Outcome among a Large Patient Cohort with Community-Acquired Acute Hepatitis C in Italy
2006
Background The epidemiology of acute hepatitis C has changed during the past decade in Western countries. Acute HCV infection has a high rate of chronicity, but it is unclear when patients with acute infection should be treated. Methods To evaluate current sources of hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission in Italy and to assess the rate of and factors associated with chronic infection, we enrolled 214 consecutive patients with newly acquired hepatitis C during 1999-2004. The patients were from 12 health care centers throughout the country, and they were followed up for a mean (+/- SD) period of 14+/-15.8 months. Biochemical liver tests were performed, and HCV RNA levels were monitored. Result…
Migraine headaches in adolescents: a five-year follow-up study
2002
Background and Objectives.—Longitudinal studies of juvenile migraine are very few. We investigated the prevalence and evolution over 5 years of migraine without aura (MWOA) and migraineous disorder (MD) in an adolescent population. Methods.—Sixty-four subjects (34 girls and 30 boys, mean age 17.3±1.1 years) out of 80 selected in our 1989 epidemiological survey were included in the study. The diagnostic criteria of the International Headache Society were used in both studies. Results.—Thirty-two of 64 subjects (50%) had MWAO, 18 (28.1%) had MD, and 14 (21.9%) had headache not classifiable (HnC). Our results show that MWOA persisted in 56.2%, converted to MD or HnC in 9.4% and 3.1% of cases, …
Morphological and topographical characteristics of posterior supernumerary molar teeth: An epidemiological study on 25,186 subjects
2014
Objectives: To investigate the prevalence , gender difference , arch , morphology and position within the arch of supernumerary molar (SM) teeth in a referred Italian Caucasian population. Study D esign: Records of 25,186 young patients were evaluated. Only data related to supernumerary teeth in the posterior region of the jaws were analyzed. The diagnosis of hyperdontia was formulated during the clinical and radiological examinations based on panoramic radiographs. Statistical analysis was conducted at level of subjects in the assessment of prevalence of SMs and sex ratio. Statistical analysis was conducted at level of teeth according to their morphological and topographic characteristics.…
Performance, balance and posture variations with Occlusal Splint and Taopatch® devices: a retrospettive cross-over study
2021
Background The aim of the study was to evaluate how muscular performances, balance and posture were influenced applying Occlusal Splints and Taopatch® 8 (Tao Technologies Srls, Cittadella, Padua, Italy) devices in athletes. Methods Eighteen athletes, 7 females and 11 males, with an average age of 23.8 years, were included. Two devices were used: 1) a customized soft occlusal splint to be applied to the lower ach; 2) nanotechnological devices based on carbon nanotubules and quantum dots (Taopatch®) positioned on C7 and xiphoid process. Four functional tests were performed: surface electromyography (sEMG), kinesiography, the squat jump and counter movement jump and handgrip test. The tests we…
Lack of association between estrogen receptor 1 gene polymorphisms and multiple sclerosis in southern Italy in humans
2002
Estrogen receptor 1 gene polymorphisms (ESR1) have been found to be associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) in both Japanese and Finnish populations. We investigated the association between ESR1 polymorphisms (PvuII and XbaI) and MS in a study of 132 MS patients and 129 controls from the same geographic background (southern Italy). Allelic and genotypic frequencies were not different between MS patients and population controls for either the PvuII or XbaI polymorphism. This result suggests that the association between a given disease and a genomic characteristic must be confirmed by separate investigations in different populations. © 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Multiple sclerosis in southern Europe: Monreale City, Italy. A twenty-year follow-up incidence and prevalence study.
2004
BACKGROUND: Several follow-up studies showed increasing prevalence and incidence rates for multiple sclerosis (MS). OBJECTIVE:To ascertain, throughout a follow-up study, the incidence and prevalence of MS in the city of Monreale, Sicily, southern Italy. METHODS:We calculated crude and age- and sex-specific prevalence rates on December 31, 2000, and determined incidence rates for the period January 1, 1992 to December 31, 2000. RESULTS:The prevalence of MS was 71.2 per 100,000 population (48,5/100,000 in men; 93,0/100,000 in women). The incidence rate of MS for the period 1992-2000 was 4.0/100,000 per year. CONCLUSION:This study showed a nonsignificant increase in MS incidence rates in Monre…
Risk of Getting COVID-19 in People With Multiple Sclerosis: A Case-Control Study
2022
Background and ObjectivesSeveral studies have assessed risk factors associated with the severity of COVID-19 outcomes in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). The potential role of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) and demographic and clinical factors on the risk of acquiring SARS-CoV-2 infection has not been evaluated so far. The objective of this study was to assess risk factors of contracting SARS-CoV-2 infection in PwMS by using data collected in the Italian MS Register (IMSR).MethodsA case-control (1:2) study was set up. Cases included PwMS with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, and controls included PwMS without a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19. Both groups were propensity score–m…