[Vaccines and adverse events between risk and fear]. / Vaccini ed eventi avversi tra rischio reale e paura immotivata.

The decrease in the incidence of infectious diseases caused by vaccination is responsible for the huge importance given to adverse reactions from both population and health care personnel. Generally no real relationship exists between the true risks associated with vaccines and the risk perceived by the population. This aspect is confirmed by the results of a survey performed in 2009 among 376 students of the University of Roma Tor Vergata and 84 health care workers of the vaccination centers in Lazio Region.

Prevalence, diagnosis and treatment of lower genital neoplasia in women with human immunodeficiency virus infection.

The prevalence of lower genital neoplasia and Human Papilloma-virus-related genital lesions were evaluated in a cohort of 75 women with Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection at different stages of HIV disease. The overall rate of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) in the group studied was 29.3% (22/75). Eight out of 10 high-grade CIN lesions contained 'high-risk' HPV-DNA 16/18 and/or 31/35/51 as demonstrated by 'in situ' hybridization with biotinylated probes. Vulvar and/or perianal condylomata were histologically diagnosed in 14 patients (18.7%); nine of these biopsies contained detectable HPV-DNA which was always related to HPV 6/11. The rate of high-grade CIN in symptomatic HIV-infected patients was 28% (7/25) as compared to 6% (3/50) of the other cases (P = 0.022). CD4 lymphocyte counts, white blood cell counts, CD4+/CD8+ cell ratio and percentage of CD4+ lymphocytes were lower in patients with high-grade CIN in comparison to the patients with negative colposcopical and/or cytological examination. After adequate standard treatment (cryotherapy, electrocauterization, cold-knife conization) only one case of CIN 2 recurred during the 2 years of follow-up period. The prevalence of lower genital neoplasia and HPV-related lesions among HIV-infected women is high and seems to correlate with the severity of HIV disease.

Recurrent vaginal candidiasis. Results of a cohort study of sexual transmission and intestinal reservoir.

Yeast cultures from the oral cavity, vagina and rectum were obtained from 125 women experiencing an acute episode of recurrent candidal vaginitis. To investigate the role of sexual transmission, oral, penile and ejaculate cultures were also prepared from all the male sexual partners. The rates of oral and rectal Candida species colonization in the women were 36% (45/125) and 44.8% (56/125), respectively. The male partners' oral cavities were positive in 23.2% (29/125) and the penile coronal sulcus and seminal fluid in 16% (20/125) and 14.4% (18/125), respectively. The susceptibility of the isolated species to the main antimycotic drugs was ascertained with the agar diffusion method. Therapy in the women and the colonized sexual partners was carried out, eliminating the microorganism from every positive site. Control cultures were obtained two weeks after the completion of therapy, and follow-up was continued for one year. The overall clinical and microbiologic cure rate in the study group was 72% (95/125). The rate of relapse was not influenced by the treatment of Candida colonization of the female intestinal tract. The recurrence rate after treatment in the couples in which the man harbored yeast (oral cavity, penile coronal sulcus, seminal fluid) was lower (15.8% vs. 44.8%, P = .0019) than that recorded in the couples without sexual partner involvement. The identification and treatment of the male sexual partner's Candida colonization seems important in the prevention of recurrent vulvovaginitis.

[Comparative evaluation of the efficacy of naproxen sodium and ibuprofen in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea]. / Valutazione comparativa dell'efficacia del naprossene sodico e dell'ibuprofene nel trattamento della dismenorrea primaria.

Efficacy of Naproxen sodium and Ibuprofen have been compared in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhoea on 67 women aged between 13 and 20 casually divided into two groups. No statistically significant difference has been noticed in the remission of symptomatology between the two groups at therapeutic dosage, although Naproxen sodium has a longer plasmatic half-life than Ibuprofen.